SETTLE DOWN Wodonga premiership captain Jack Craig snapped his poor form with an unbeaten 73 in the thumping win over Belvoir. It was the first time the free-scoring batsman had passed 21 in eight innings, including representative level. “I’ve started the season off pretty badly as you can tell, so I’ve just tried to work my way into the innings and not be the aggressor for once,” he said. “Yeah, I’ve been stupid, that’s probably the word.” WHAT’S THE CHANCES? What odds could you have got that the equal leading run-scorer after three rounds of 50-over matches would be a number seven batsman from Wodonga Raiders? Luke Rafferty has been the competition’s surprise packet, clocking up 121 runs at 60.5, with a highest score of 75 not out against Belvoir. Tallangatta’s Sahib Malhotra also has 121 for just the once out, with Lavington’s Nathan Brown (120) and Wodonga captain-coach Robbie Jackson (116) in pursuit. Raiders snapped a 44-match losing streak in the T20’s second round. PATTIES’ PRODUCTION St Patrick’s are starting to benefit from their stack of under 16s. Two years ago, the club had three teams in that grade, with another product debuting on Saturday. Liam Parkinson claimed 2-45 from nine overs in the win over Albury. “He was a bit nervous in his first spell, but he came back and took two wickets, he just looked like he fitted into the level,” veteran Kane Arendarcikas said. Pat Parnell debuted last season, while fellow teen Eddie Keogh’s 34 proved crucial at number seven. IN A SPIN St Pat’s decision to start with left-arm off-spinner Arendarcikas proved critical as the home team crawled to 0-10 from 10 overs. “They were a bit unsure how to approach it, so it probably wasn’t a bad move in the end,” he said. “It probably helped us later on because they thought they were chasing their tail.” Albury made 146 from 46.2 overs, so the Patties will take heart from the fact they’ve now bowled out two teams in the three games. St Pat’s claimed only 105 wickets last season, ahead of winless Raiders (90). LICKING THEIR LIPS East Albury will be hoping Ryan de Vries’ 6-32 against New City is just the start. It’s been 15 months in the making after the left-arm quick first agreed to play for the Crows. He had dominated district level for Kiewa, taking 60 wickets at 8.52 in 2016-17 and then 44 at 8.95. But any hopes of making an immediate impact at provincial level were dashed when a knee injury forced de Vries to miss last summer. “He bowled a heavy ball and hit the right lengths,” New City’s Liam Fitzsimmons said. SIXES AT SCOTS The tiny ground at The Scots School Albury will see some monster sixes this season. East Albury is based there while Alexandra Park is undergoing work and New City’s Indian import Saurabh Bandekar laid an early claim to the biggest hit. The Crows were bowling from the Lavington end when the right-hander, who boasts 64 first-class games, let fly. “Our import hit a very big six, he hit it to the leg side and it went up into the gardens (near the school buildings),” Fitzsimmons said.